Packaging for plant containers

ABSTRACT

Packaging for protecting or for sending of plants or plant containers, characterized in that the packaging comprises at least two parts, of which parts a lower part is connected to an upper part in such a manner that a recess is present between a wall of the lower part and an inner wall of the upper part and in which recess the plant container is secured against movement or displacement.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to packaging employed in transport andprotection of products, in particular, plants and plant containers suchas pots, vases and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Known packaging systems which are currently available in the marketplaceuse materials such as cardboard, paper, corrugated cardboard and plasticmaterials. It is additional known to fill up boxes and containers inwhich fragile and delicate goods and products are to be transported withchips made out of plastic materials, cardboard, paper or naturalproducts such as starch.

The known packaging systems are not optimal for the complicatedtransport of highly delicate plants and breakable plant containers. Forexample, if plants are packaged using chips and corresponding packagingshrouds, such packaging is likely to cause mechanical and physiologicaldamage to the plant. Adding to this problem is that there are nostandard packaging systems for plants which make it possible to protectthe delicate plant parts above ground and simultaneously preventbreakage of the container in which the plant is potted.

It is one aim of the invention to provide a packaging system whichenables a safe transport of plants or plant containers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the invention, the above aim is solved in that thepackaging for confectioning and transport of plants or plant containerscomprises at least two parts, of which parts a lower part is connectedto an upper part in such a manner that a recess or void is presentbetween the wall of the lower part and the inner wall of the upper partand in which the plant container is secured against movement ordisplacement.

In a preferred form, the packaging is made of wood, plastic materials,cardboard, metal, glass fibres, plexiglass, glass or combinationsthereof.

In a preferred embodiment, the outer wall of the upper part borders therecess and defines a shrouded volume with respect to the surroundingenvironment.

In a further embodiment, the walls of the upper part and the wall of thelower part include ventilation openings.

In a further embodiment, the walls of the upper part and the walls ofthe lower part are stanchion or frame-like in configuration.

Preferably, the inner wall of the upper part and the outer wall of theupper part are connected in a fixed manner with respect to one another.

It is preferred that the inner diameter of the upper part above therecess and the inner diameter of the lower part are smaller than theinner diameter of the upper part at the level of the recess.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the inner diameter of the upperpart above the recess and the inner diameter of the lower part have thesame dimension.

In a preferred embodiment, the recess is configured to extendperipherally. Alternatively, the recess is discontinuous in extension.

Advantageously, the upper and the lower parts are closed by way ofrespective lids.

In a particularly preferred form, the plant is secured within thepackaging by means of a suitable device.

This device within the packaging can comprise alternatively a net,paper, cardboard, plexiglass, glass, glass fibres, plastic materials,metal, wood or combinations thereof.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the packaging, the latter hasa substantially circular cross-section.

Alternatively, the packaging can have a cross-section which issubstantially canted or polygonal.

In a preferred embodiment of the packaging, the latter is lined on itsinside with plastic materials, wood, cardboard, paper, glass fibres,foil or bubble foil.

The packaging in accordance with the invention provides for the plant tobe transported to have a secure support within the arrested plantcontainer and provides for optimum transport conditions. This, in turn,enables the plant to be easily packaged and presented in a ready to usestate whilst simultaneously being readily transportable withoutincurring excessive packaging costs when packaged for parcel delivery,minimising harm to the plant during transport, and as consequence of thepackaging procedure, and preventing breakage of the plant container.

In creating a stable void or hollow space in which the plant is receivedwithin the packaging it is ensured in particular that the delicateleaves and buds are not stressed excessively and potentially subject tobreakage, bending or buckling as consequence of mechanicalinfluences/actions thereon. The plant itself can, if desired, besupported using a suitable device within the packaging. Sleeves madefrom a variety of materials come to mind as an example of such devices.In order to protect against impacts there is also provided a hollowspace below the plant container. The transport system which comprises aplug-in assembly of parts enable a flexible adaptation to individualshapes and/or sizes of the plant containers to be transported therewith,the transport position being secured or fixed by means of adhesive tape,for example. The recess by means of which the plant container is fixedand/or localised within the packaging can extend peripherally (ie, becontinuous within the packaging). In cases where the plant container (egpot) is not circular in cross-section or is provided with discrete smallprotrusions at certain locations, it is possible to provide for adiscontinuous recess. Such non-continuous recess can also beadvantageous if the plant container is to be arrested/fixed in a certainposition and orientation such as to present or display the plant with aspecific “face”, which can play an important role where the packagingincludes a display window.

Transportation of plants in a plant container (eg pot, vase or similar)has numerous advantages. For one, the roots of the plant are protectedfrom damage. This may play an important role with plant types which havesucculent roots that are prone to breaking and thus may cause trauma tothe plant during and after transport. It is also advantageous that theplant may already be presented in a decorative vase or pot which is alsoprotected by the packaging, thus avoiding the need to transfer or re-potthe plant after receipt of a packaged plant parcel. Maintenance of an asfar as possible stable life supporting environment can be of paramountimportance for rare and/or delicate plants.

The invention will be described in grater detail in the following by wayof reference to an embodiment thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section of a packaging in accordance with anembodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The packaging of FIG. 1 shows the assembled parts 1 and 3. The lowerpart 3 can be inserted into the upper part 1 to such an extent that theplant container 13 is clamped between the lower edge of the inner wall 9of the upper part 1 and the upper edge of the wall 11 of the lower part3. The plant container is thereby arrested (and located) within therecess 5 of the packaging, the hollow parts 1, 3 providing enough roomabove the retained plant container for the leaves and buds of the plantand provides a protective air cushion for the container underneath it.The parts of the packaging which are thus connected can be secured withrespect to one another using adhesive tape or any other suitablefastening means, thereby to prevent disengagement of the parts 13 duringtransport. In order to prevent spilling of the soil or soil granulesreceived within the plant container during transport of the parceled andpackaged plant, the container opening around the plant parts (eg stem)can be covered with a special net, paper, cellulose, plastic materialsand similar. The plant portions located above ground are therebyprotected from mechanical and thermal loads, and may be additionallysupported with regards to their stability by means of collars providedspecifically for such purpose. Alternatively, the packaging may bepadded with a variety of different and suitable materials in order toprevent temperature changes and absorb impacts on the packaging. It isalso possible to substitute the above described walls (which are devisedas continuous planar structures) by a supporting grid of discrete websand the like which equally form an upper and lower part that achieve theadvantages of the packaging system and/or provide additional ventilationopenings.

The packaging Illustrated in FIG. 1 is regularly between 15 cm to 150 cmin height and has a diameter of between 7.5 cm and about 90 cm. Thesedimensions are, however, individually, in combination or in theirnumeric values variable, since the packaging system can be conformed tothe plants and plant containers that are to be packaged in a ready touse manner and transported.

The inventive packaging system enables safe transport of valuable anddelicate plants and plant containers (eg pots and the like).

The features according to the invention described in the abovedescription and the claims and illustrated in the drawing can beessential individually or in any desired combination in the process ofproviding the different embodiments of the present invention.

1. Packaging for protecting or for sending of plants or plantcontainers, comprising: packaging that comprises at least two parts, ofwhich parts a lower part is connected to an upper part in such a mannerthat a recess is present between a wall of the lower part and an innerwall of the upper part and in which recess the plant container issecured against movement or displacement.
 2. Packaging according toclaim 1, wherein the packaging is made from material selected from agroup consisting of wood, plastic materials, cardboard, metal, glassfibers, plexiglass, glass and combinations thereof.
 3. Packagingaccording to claims 1, wherein the outer wall of the upper part bordersthe recess and defines a shrouded volume with respect to the surroundingenvironment.
 4. Packaging according to claims 1, wherein walls of theupper part and walls of the lower part include ventilation openings. 5.Packaging according to claims 1, wherein, walls of the upper part andwalls of the lower part are stanchion or frame-like in configuration. 6.Packaging according to claims 1, wherein the inner wall of the upperpart and the outer wall of the upper part are connected in a fixedmanner with respect to one another.
 7. Packaging according to claims 1,characterised in that the inner diameter of the upper part above whereinthe recess and the inner diameter of the lower part are smaller than theinner diameter of the upper part at the level of the recess. 8.Packaging according to claims 1, wherein the inner diameter of the upperpart above the recess and the inner diameter of the lower part have thesame dimension.
 9. Packaging according to claims 1, wherein the recessis configured to extend peripherally.
 10. Packaging according to claims1, wherein the recess is discontinuous in extension.
 11. Packagingaccording to claims 1, wherein the upper and the lower parts are closedby way of respective lids.
 12. Packaging according to claims 1, whereinthe plant is secured within the packaging by means of a suitable device.13. Packaging according to claim 12, wherein the device within thepackaging comprises a device selected from a group consisting of a net,paper, cardboard, plexiglass, glass, glass fibers, plastic materials,metal, wood and combinations thereof.
 14. Packaging according to claims1, wherein the packaging has a substantially circular cross-section. 15.Packaging according to claims 1, wherein the packaging has across-section which is substantially canted or polygonal.
 16. Packagingaccording to claims 1, wherein the packaging is lined on its inside withmaterial selected from a group consisting of plastic materials, wood,cardboard, paper, glass fibers, foil and bubble foil.